ILLUSTRATED:
Huang Gang, Linda Gallery, Beijing, 2008, color illustrated, pp.18-19

A striking generosity, a ceremonial precision and deliberation, a restrained inner strength, these are the elegant and absolute aesthetics executed by Huang Gang in his works. The piece “Ark of Dream” incorporates Huang Gang’s well-known Tibetan Buddhist scripture engravings, so that it is not only a painting but also an installation piece. Huang Gang has a background in antiques and collectibles, and he selected Buddhist scripture engravings to be his creative medium. Viewers are transported to a mysterious world of religion, where they are awed and moved by the immense but unseen power of faith in monks devotedly chanting scriptures, painstakingly carving pictures, and piously teaching the wisdom from their books. Through his familiarity with ancient artifacts and his own expert techniques, Huang Gang layered colors onto the image, and combined them with history-laden Buddhist scripture engravings to create a portrayal of the rich and varied texture of accumulated time. Buddhist engravings are the crystallization of the monks’ handcrafts and devotion; time and space are connected through Huang Gang’s choice to recreate contemporary art through using a pre-existing, culturally meaningful artifact. His reverence for art is an utmost reflection of the monks’ dedication to their faith. The shape in the center appears to be a canoe floating on the stars of the cosmos, transcending mortal concerns, inexorably pulling one into an infinite religious and philosophic contemplation of life. Huang Gang’s works are highly praised and resonate with audiences due to his exploration of the societies and environs around him through his art. He has held exhibitions in Germany, France, the USA, Switzerland, Hong Kong and Taiwan, and is highly esteemed in each country.